One reason women are generally paid less is because of industry stigma. Jobs that are inherently seen as “women’s work” pay less than jobs that are seen as “men’s work”. Research suggests that when women make up a large percentage of a specific industry, wages become devalued. These biases — whether conscious or unconscious — leave women lower on the pay scale.

Despite being the largest voting block in Canada, young Canadians are known to have low voter turnout. This election, however, we saw youth political engagement present itself in untraditional ways. Young people are increasingly abandoning formal modes of political participation, and are instead adopting grassroots-level engagement.

Young voters make up 40% of the Canadian population. Despite this, they have little influence when it comes to political decision-making. We need to change this. Today’s youth are the country’s future, so it is in everyone’s interest that their voices be heard and fully incorporated into Canada’s highest decision-making levels. When young people don’t vote, they are repeatedly not represented in politics, and this sets the precedent for their concerns not being addressed.

We can learn a lot from youth-led organizations. With so many youth taking on leadership roles within pressing social movements, it is clear just how determined young people are to build a world that is equitable and fair. The future is bright for Canadian youth.

Young people know that above individual actions, the actions of large corporations and powerful organizations speak loud and should lead the way of impact, and they want to see the institutions around them invest in the issues they care about.

“It's so important to first recognize and understand the respects of an Indigenous community. For example, if there was a project proposed to go into an area that has previously only been known by Indigenous lifeways and is a pristine landscape that hasn't been altered by any projects, it's important to respect that there is wildlife and the land is living. The land is very respected by us because it has always been taught that land is sacred by our elders.”

Organizations and institutions often say they care about an issue, but without action to prove it, it comes off as performative - and young Canadians pay attention to that. As one of the demographics most affected by climate change, young people are concerned about the environment, and we want to see that your organization is too.

Gatekeeping is nothing new, in fact, it is somewhat of a cultural tradition. When a newcomer — specifically a young person — joins an organization, they are often relegated to the bottom of the social and professional hierarchy until they work their way up. Gatekeeping intentionally keeps someone uninformed and therefore, keeps them in a powerless position.